The Senate is in recess through this week. The House returns from recess on Wednesday. The House Rules Committee is expected to clear the way for floor consideration of three appropriations bills to be taken up over the next couple of weeks: MilCon/VA, Energy and Water, and Homeland Security. These may very well be the…

The House is also slated to vote on a defense authorization bill (HR 4310), which has a small provision with big implications for future transportation fuels. The Defense Department has been developing advanced biofuels for its ships and planes, helping make a market along with other federal agencies. The DOD’s goal is to curb dependence on…

The House starts its workweek considering several measures under suspension of the rules, including — coinciding with National Police Week — the National Blue Alert Act, which aims to help reduce the threat of violence against law enforcement officers. Later in the week, the House takes up a bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against…

Today, Acting Undersecretary and ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar announced that he will be resigning his role as Acting Undersecretary effective immediately, and Assistant Secretary David Sandalow has been chosen as his replacement. Furthermore, Dr. Majumdar also announced that he will be resigning his role as Director of ARPA-E effective June 8, 2012, and ARPA-E Deputy…

The Senate will take up a measure today that would prevent subsidized student loan interest rates from doubling this July. While both parties agree that they want to stop the rate hike from going forward, Senate republican leadership indicated Monday that they will likely filibuster the democratic measure because it opposes the proposed offset. Senate…

Congress returns to work today after a week-long recess period. The Senate convenes at 2:00pm and continues debate of the student loan interest rate bill. The House is also in at 2:00pmwith votes expected around 6:30pm. This afternoon, the House Budget Committee will mark up two bills: The Sequester Replacement Act of 2012 (HR 4966)…